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How to choose a psychologist safely

For your own safety, it matters that you choose a qualified professional to look after your health and wellbeing. Below are five things you can check — about me or about anyone else. The rules cited are Brazilian, but the questions are worth asking anywhere.

  1. 01

    Check the professional registration

    Make sure the person really is a psychologist: look up their registration number with the Council of Psychology. Many people call themselves “therapists”, a generic term that guarantees no reliable training in health care. Working with a registered psychologist means hiring a professional who studied for at least five years at an institution recognized by the Ministry of Education and who follows a code of ethics covering conduct and the confidentiality of your information.

  2. 02

    Be wary of promises of a cure

    Brazil's Federal Council of Psychology forbids psychologists from promising a cure or setting a fixed deadline for one, given how complex people and their relationships are. We cannot predict the future.

  3. 03

    Price is not a selling point

    Campaigns and discounts that lean on price breach the code of ethics. A professional may only advertise what they actually are: claiming false credentials or leaning on promotions is forbidden and reveals an unethical stance. If someone disregards the ethical rules of the profession, consider what that says about the care they will provide. The Federal Council periodically publishes a fee reference table. This is a service, not a product.

  4. 04

    Know the session rules

    Ask how billing works, what happens if you miss a session or arrive late, the policy for replying to messaging apps and, for online sessions, whether the professional is in a suitable and private place.

  5. 05

    Check that the office is private

    For in-person sessions, check that the room really is private in relation to the rest of the building — that nobody can hear from the waiting room, the corridor or the garden. In Brazil the office must also hold a municipal operating licence and be current on its taxes and Council registration.

Checking my registration

My registration is CRP 06/115.182, with the Regional Council of Psychology of the 6th Region (São Paulo, Brazil). You can verify it in the National Register of Psychologists kept by the Federal Council of Psychology.

Still have a question?

Ask about fees, how often sessions happen, the policy for missed sessions, or anything else before booking.

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